Serves 4–6
This noodle salad is a summer dish, but it is readily available throughout the year in Taiwan. Omit the chicken breast to make this dish vegetarian.
INGREDIENT
Noodles
425 g (15 oz) bread flour
1 tsp salt
215 ml (71/6 fl oz) water
1/2 Tbsp lye water
Cooking oil for coating the noodles
Salad
2 chicken breasts
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground white pepper
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 cucumber, cut into thin strips
Eggs
2 large eggs
A pinch of ground white pepper
1/2 tsp light soy sauce
Cooking oil, as needed
Sesame Dressing
140 g (5 oz) white sesame seeds
2 Tbsp vegetable oil or sunflower oil
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
100 ml (31/2 fl oz) water
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
HOW TO COOK HOME-MADE NOODLE SALAD
1. Prepare the noodles. Place the bread flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water and lye water. Stir to combine, then knead into a soft dough. Flatten the dough and cut it into 4 parts.
2. Using a rolling pin, flatten each piece of dough out until it is thin enough to fit through a pasta maker, then pass it through the roller several times, changing to a finer setting each time. (For the pasta maker I have, 1 is the thickest setting and 9 is the thinnest. I started at setting number 1 and ended at 4.)
3. Feed the dough through the cutting blades in the pasta maker. Dust the noodles with flour to prevent them from sticking.
4. Boil a pot of water and cook the noodles for 2–3 minutes until the noodles are tender but still firm in the centre. Drain the noodles, then place into cold water to cool. Drain.
5. Mix the noodles with a little bit of oil to prevent the noodles from sticking. Set aside.
6. Prepare the salad. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then roll each piece up in plastic wrap. Place in a steamer and steam for 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Let the chicken cool slightly before peeling off the plastic wrap. Cut into thin strips.
7. Prepare the eggs. Beat the eggs and season with the soy sauce and pepper. Heat some oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour the beaten egg into the pan and tilt it around so the egg coats the base of the pan. Let it cook into a thin, crepe-like sheet. Remove the egg from the pan and let it cool slightly. Roll up the egg and cut into thin strips.
8. Prepare the sesame dressing. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the white sesame seeds and toast until just golden brown. Remove and place immediately into a food processor with the oil. Process into a purée. Add the remaining ingredients for the dressing and process until smooth. Adjust to taste with salt and soy sauce.
9. Divide the noodles into serving bowls and top with chicken, carrot, cucumber and egg. Drizzle with sesame dressing. Mix and serve.
